Packing-tray.



C. C. MILLER.

PACKING TRAY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

071m [a 1, Duffy 1 77 AW UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. MILLER, 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

PACKING-TRAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Original application filed January 13, 1915, Serial No. 1,962. Dividedand this application filed June 5,

' 1915. Serial No. 32,286.

scribe and claim a method 'of packaging laundry in which process thedevice of the I present application enters and the present applicationis a division of said previous application. I

An expensive part of a laundry establishment is the time and materialsconsumed in packing the laundry for delivery. The

usual practice heretofore has been to place the shirts in covers andthen wrap all the articles in paper, or to place the articles in .aknock-down box which must first be set up. All these steps requiretimeand storage space for the boxes, and the likelihood of soiling thelaundry by the operators hands which are apt to become soiled inassembling the boxes. Also the paper wrapped packages have no protectionagainst collapse and crushing of the articles within.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel means for packagingvarious articles in bags or other receptacle with great rapidity so asto form a neat package in which the contents are protected.

In the drawings I illustrate the preferred "form of my invention,although said form may be varied in certain details without departingfrom the spirit of my invention,

and in said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view in perspective of thepacking tray; Fig. 2 a'longitudinal sectional view of the same in andFig. 3

a plan view in perspective of a package which has been made upon thedevice,

Referring to the drawings the packing or charging tray consists of ascoop-like structure 10, preferably made of thin metal and having abottom 11 the forward end of which is preferably rounded, the bottomalso-having a rib 12 extending transversely acrossits-lower side. Thereare two side walls-13 and an end wall 14 which connects the side walls.A depending flange 15 may be provided at the rear by which the devicemay are comparatively low at their forward ends 7 andgradually increasein height a desired dlstance from said ends. From the summit of theslope to the rear the top edges of the sides may be continuous in'heightwith said summit, but they are preferably lower than said summit asshown in Fig. 1.

In use the articles to be packed are placed upon the tray and thereceptacle 18, which is preferably abag having a normally open mouth, isdrawn over the tray audits contents. The operator is merely'required tobring the mouth 'of the bag up into engagement with the curved end ofthe tray which effects the primary opening'of the bag, and as he drawsthe bag toward the rearof the tray the sloping sides fully open the saidmouth and permit of the ready placing of the bag over the tray. End wall14 prevents the articles which have been deposited upon the tray fromslipping therefrom as the bag is drawn over the tray. A great deal oftime is thereby saved in the operation and tearing of the mouth of thebag is practically eliminated. It is understood, of course, that themouth of the receptacle is not smaller than a cross-section through thetray at the highest point of its sides.

In Fig. 2 I illustrate the use of the'tray in a laundry Where arectangular reinforcing rim 19 is adapted to be inserted .into the bagtogether with laundried articles, the

rim being first placed on the tray and the articles within the rim. Thebag-is drawn over the tray and its contents and then the bag with therim and articles within it is removed from the tray; and the mouth ofthe bag is then closed and the package shown inFig. 3' is ready fordelivery.

What I claim is: I 1. A packing tray comprising a substantiallyhorizontal bottom, means to support said member at one end thereofleaving the opposite end free and unobstructed and vertically disposedmembers secured to each side edge and oneend edge of the bottom for thepurposes described.

2. In a devicev of the character described, a fiat member located insubstantially horizontal position, means to support said membervat oneend thereof leaving the opposite end free and unobstructed, and upwardlyprojecting members, attached at each side edge of Said member to providea place therebetween in which articles of wear may be positionedand'serve as means to guide bags over said'articles substantially asdescribed.

3; A packing tray comprising a bottom member having upwardly extendingWalls at its opposite side edges, a depending member at one end of thebottom adapted to be secured to a fixed object and a depending rib onthe bottom adapted to cooperate with' the depending member to supportthe said bottom in substantially horizontal position 7 and leave theother end of the bottom free and unobstructed for the purposesdescribed. In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe CHARLES C. MILLER.

